Planning & Managing Scope

Scope management is about defining and controlling what is and what is not included in the project. It's one of the most critical aspects of project management because scope creep (uncontrolled scope expansion) is a leading cause of project failure.

Scope Management Processes

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Requirements Gathering

Requirements are the foundation of scope. Poor requirements lead to scope issues throughout the project.

Types of Requirements

Requirements Gathering Techniques

Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

The Requirements Traceability Matrix links requirements to their origin and tracks them through the project lifecycle:

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Project Scope Statement

The Project Scope Statement provides a detailed description of the project and product scope. It is the basis for making future project decisions.

Key Elements

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The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The Work Breakdown Structure is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work. It is the most important scope management document and the foundation for planning all other aspects of the project.

WBS Principles

The 100% Rule: The WBS must include 100% of the work defined by the project scope and capture all deliverables. Each level of decomposition represents an increasingly detailed definition of work.

WBS Structure

Project
├── Phase 1: Planning
│   ├── Deliverable 1.1: Project Charter
│   │   ├── Work Package 1.1.1: Stakeholder Interviews
│   │   └── Work Package 1.1.2: Charter Document
│   └── Deliverable 1.2: Requirements Document
│       ├── Work Package 1.2.1: Requirements Gathering
│       └── Work Package 1.2.2: Requirements Review
├── Phase 2: Design
│   ├── Deliverable 2.1: Architecture Document
│   └── Deliverable 2.2: UI Designs
└── Phase 3: Development
    ├── Deliverable 3.1: Module A
    └── Deliverable 3.2: Module B

Work Packages

Work packages are the lowest level of the WBS for which cost and duration are estimated:

WBS Types

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WBS Dictionary

The WBS Dictionary provides detailed information about each WBS element:

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Scope Baseline

The Scope Baseline is the approved version of the project scope and consists of:

1. Project Scope Statement: Detailed description of project and product scope
2. WBS: Hierarchical decomposition of all deliverables
3. WBS Dictionary: Detailed information about each WBS element

Why Scope Baseline Matters

• Provides the reference for all scope-related decisions
• Changes require formal change control
• Used to measure project performance
• Foundation for schedule and cost baselines

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Scope Validation

Scope Validation is the process of formalizing acceptance of completed project deliverables.

Validation vs. Quality Control

Validation Activities

1. Inspect Deliverables: Review completed work against requirements
2. Document Acceptance: Formal sign-off from customer/sponsor
3. Document Rejections: Record why deliverables were not accepted
4. Request Changes: Submit change requests for corrections

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Scope Control

Scope Control monitors the status of the project and product scope and manages changes to the scope baseline.

Scope Creep vs. Gold Plating

Scope Control Activities

• Monitor scope performance against baseline
• Evaluate change requests for scope impact
• Recommend corrective/preventive actions
• Update project documents as needed
• Communicate scope status to stakeholders

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Key Takeaways

• Requirements are the foundation of scope management
• The WBS decomposes all deliverables following the 100% rule
• Work packages are the lowest WBS level for estimating and scheduling
• The Scope Baseline = Scope Statement + WBS + WBS Dictionary
• Validate Scope gets formal customer acceptance
• Control Scope prevents unauthorized changes and scope creep